A HASLEMERE PhD student and part-time “adventure philanthropist”, faces his greatest challenge yet in September.

Buoyed up by the success of a recent fundraising expedition paddling the length of the Mississippi, Hugo Metcalfe aims to kayak China’s 1,000-mile Grand Canal, the longest artificial waterway in the world.

Hugo hopes to raise at least £650 for The Muscle Help Foundation, a charity that helps young people with Muscular Dystrophy fulfil their dreams.

He was inspired to support the charity after hearing its chief executive officer Michael McGrath, a permanent power-chair user, make a speech that made him realise how much he took the ability to use muscles for granted.

Hugo said: “As an adventure philanthropist in my spare time, I am always pushing my body to its limits but I saw for perhaps the first time how this was a luxury that others did not have.

“I saw this as an opportunity to raise money and more importantly awareness of this cause. I hope that with enough support I can help young people with MD get out and live their own adventurous dreams.

“I hope to be the first British adventurer to paddle the longest canal in the world. Currently a UNESCO world heritage site, the oldest parts date back to the fifth century – yet it remains a major transport route. In the next few years it is estimated it will carry an enormous 100,000,000 tons of goods annually.

“It has carried emperors, lords and shipwrecked mariners and will soon carry one bearded Englishman in his bright red kayak, taking with him a dream to help young people with a life-limiting condition fulfil their dreams.

“The difficulties on the expedition will be needing to pack light. I will be sleeping outside in a Bivvy, a waterproof cover that goes over your sleeping bag, and I will be taking very minimal gear.

“In addition, the Grand Canal is still a major transport route a little further down, so I might have to dodge the odd boat or two.

“In order to meet my target of completing the challenge in three weeks, I aim to row at least 657km per week. No easy feat, but having been fortunate to have been born without MD, I intend to make the most of my muscles and try and make a difference.”

Hugo’s start date is Saturday, September 3. A previous attempt was made in 2014 by a Chinese man, Cheng Peng, and took him 44 days, said Hugo.

“To my knowledge, he is the only person to have travelled the length of the canal. I hope to beat this time and complete the whole route solo.”

• To sponsor Hugo go to www.goldengiving.com/ fundraising/GrandCanal

For more information on previous fundraising challenges log on to: www.ur baneexplorers.co.uk